Pasta and Potatoes Conquer Orlando - October 2-10, 2013 (Updated 1/31)

[IowaTater]

Day 3 Continued....

DH and I had FD this trip, which we absolutely loved. I know a lot of people don't like it but for us, it worked out great. We didn't have to worry about budgeting for meals, it gave us the ability to experience dinner shows and character dining, and because DH is a picky eater but I'm not, it gave us more dining options.

Because DH is such a picky eater, he basically just left the dining plans to me. After adding an extra day to our trip in order to get the FD, I realized this meant that we had an extra TS that I hadn't thought of. So I thought my sci-fi geek of a hubby would love...



...and I was right. He was so excited! We were ushered to our car and since there were only 2 of us, we shared a car with another small family. DH ordered the cheeseburger and a Coke.



I ordered a cherry Coke (the good kind) and the Reuben.



DH really enjoyed his burger but I thought my Reuben was a little dry. I eventually asked for a side of Thousand Island and that helped a bit. DH was so enthralled by the movie screen, I was afraid he would forget about eating.




I didn't get pictures of it but for dessert, DH got a chocolate milkshake and I got the fruit plate.

With our bellies full, we decided to make the trek to Tatooine (because, you know, it was right around the corner) so we could ride...




We only had about a 15 minute wait for our ride and then it was off to escape the Rebel forces. Neither DH nor I had been on Star Tours since the revamp but we really liked it, although I did have to close my eyes about halfway into it. In hindsight, it might not have been such a good idea to attempt this ride on a full stomach.

After exiting the ride, DH said that he wanted to get a souvenir from Tatooine Traders but after seeing how the place was wall-to-wall people, he quickly changed his mind. So we decided to go see if we had time to make the next Indiana Jones show. Nope, just missed the start of the show. Strike one.

So I suggested seeing if Stitch was out (my favorite character and one I really wanted to meet). Nope, not out. Strike two.

DH then suggested heading towards ToT because there were lots of penny machines along the way. And of course, the one machine that had the penny to complete our Cars collection was broken. Strike three.

By this time, I was tired, hot, and still a little nauseous and poor DH could tell I was getting close to another meltdown so we headed straight for ToT. ToT is my absolute favorite ride at HS, hands down. I loved TSM but it will never top a trip to The Twilight Zone for me. The last time DH was at HS with his family, he absolutely refused to ride it. He's not really scared of heights but for some reason, he was terrified. He was still a little unsure this time around but I managed to convince him.



Luckily, it was almost a complete walk-on so he didn't really have too much time to think about it. He made it through the film sequence in the study and we moved into the basement area. I was so excited, I was bounced off the walls, all while DH was looking VERY apprehensive. It probably didn't help when I reminded him that our marriage vows stated "until death do us part".

We loaded into our elevator with us being in the top corner. We proceeded through the ghostly sequence as I kept telling DH that he had to keep his eyes open. Then came the moment I had been waiting for (and my hands are sweating and my pulse is racing as I'm typing this). The elevator doors open and you can see out across the HS park and then......

Drop.
Stop.
Drop.
Stop.
Shoot upwards.
Stop.
Drop.
Stop.
Drop.
Shoot upwards.
Stop.
Drop.
Stop.
Drop.
Stop.
Drop to the bottom.

Let me tell you, the feeling of weightlessness is the best on this ride than any I've ever been on anywhere. I am a big girl and any time this booty can come completely off the seat is a thrill! As for poor DH...well, they say the proof is in the picture.



Poor guy. I still think he holds a grudge.

We then decided that since we were in thrill ride mode, we'd head over to another ride neither one of us had ridden.



Yet another almost walk-on. We loved the little pre-ride clip and couldn't wait to experience the coaster itself. There was just enough wait that we got to see a couple of limos take off before us and it just added to our anticipation. They put us in the front row as I squealed with delight.

This ride was totally worth it! From the second they blasted us out of a stopped position, we were both screaming like little kids. The music was awesome and all of the neon accents were great. We could have ridden RnR over and over again.



We would have really liked to stick around for Fantasmic but we had dinner reservations we didn't want to miss.

 

[IowaTater]

(Continued from previous post)

One of DH's few requests for our trip was that he wanted to eat at Planet Hollywood so we picked this night to do so. We left the land of movie magic that is HS and headed to the bus stop as the first of the black storm clouds began to roll in. And quickly proceeded to get a bit turned around.

I was so tired that I was just following DH, who unfortunately has a horrible sense of direction. We ended up walking clear down one side of the bus stop area only to find out we need to be on the OTHER side. We made to the correct stop and waited for the bus to DTD.

And waited.

And waited.

And waited.

We waited for about 20 minutes although it seemed like a lot longer than that. The bus finally arrived and off we went. Because it was Friday and they are doing a lot of construction at DTD right now, traffic was horrific! I was getting more and more irritated by the second because I thought we were going to miss our reservation. The bus pulled into our stop just as it started to sprinkle. In my meager attempt to improve my mood, I tried to tell myself that it was okay, it was just a sprinkling, and it would help to cool me off.

DH and I proceeded to Planet Hollywood and check in at the podium. We then trudged up the longest set of stairs that I had seen, walked right past the poor event photographer, and were met with a wall of people. I have an anxiety disorder and I felt the beginnings of a panic attack coming on. I tried being polite and say "excuse me" but it seemed no matter how many times I said it, people would just stand there and glare at me. I finally just started pushing my way past everyone so we could get to our table. I don't like being cranky so it put a bit of a damper on the night.

We finally got to our table, which was on the second floor. For those of you that have never been there before, it is a 3-story restaurant - A larger main area with a good-sized bar, a second smaller level with a smaller bar area, and a third floor dining area (which I did not go up to). They have tons of movie memorabilia and loud music, but luckily it was good music.

DH started the meal off with another Coke while I started with this delicious concoction.



I don't remember what it was called or what exactly was in it but it was alcoholic and fruity and that was good enough for me. Shortly after we were seated, a large tour group was seated next to us so our waitress was a little slow coming back to us. She finally came back over and her attitude changed almost immediately when she found out we were on the dining plan. I don't know if she thought maybe she wasn't getting a tip or something but I tried to be pleasant with her the rest of the evening.

DH placed his order first. Steak well done with double fries, no veggies please.



I ordered the steak as well, medium but with veggies and a baked potato.



It was very tasty and our steaks were cooked perfectly. The only thing I would have changed were the veggies. They didn't really have any seasoning on them so they were a bit bland. I still ate them though because I love my veggies.

While we waited for our waitress to come back to take our dessert order, DH decided that he wanted to take some pictures of the memorabilia. He grabbed my camera as I leafed through my planning binder. Here are a couple of the pictures that he took.


Iron Patriot suit




From "Titanic"



DH and I didn't really see any dessert that we liked until our waitress informed us that we could combine our dessert options to the chocolate cake for two. Since DH and I were both stuffed to the gills and about ready to fall asleep at the table, we decided to get the chocolate cake to go. The next evening, I had a little bit of it and the mouse part was really good but very rich and the cake was dry to me. DH, however, polished off every last bit of it.

We rolled ourselves over to the bus stop for our resort and waited for the bus to arrive.

And waited.

And waited.

There were some other people there ahead of us and they said they had already been waiting 15 minutes for the bus It finally showed up about 10 minutes later. We fought our way through the evening traffic and made it to our resort. DH and I stopped in the food court to get our mug refills and then headed to our comfy beds. We took our showers and I think I was asleep before my head even hit the pillow. Thank goodness the next day would be very low key and I could get over my crankiness.

 

[IowaTater]

I must have missed the last update!


Looks like you had a great time at DHS. I know a lot of Dis-sers don't seem to think it's a full day park; but I rather enjoy the shows and looking at the displays myself.

I've heard that as well but we love DHS. I can see how maybe a family with younger children may not enjoy it as much but I love all the older movie references. Plus everything just seems to be slower paced and less crowded.

 

[SAT887]

Wow! What a day! Your ToT pic and experience!! Bahahahaha! That sounds like me the first time I went on RnR... 9 years ago - and I may hold a small grudge!



I really like your Monsters Inc pictures - we did have time to meet them on our last trip. Hopefully next time!

DtD - ugh that's just a mess - we avoided it in Septemeber at night - we went on our departing afternoon. I can't wait for them to get it all sorted an add more parking - a garage will be amazing!!

 

[IowaTater]

Wow! What a day! Your ToT pic and experience!! Bahahahaha! That sounds like me the first time I went on RnR... 9 years ago - and I may hold a small grudge!



I really like your Monsters Inc pictures - we did have time to meet them on our last trip. Hopefully next time!

DtD - ugh that's just a mess - we avoided it in Septemeber at night - we went on our departing afternoon. I can't wait for them to get it all sorted an add more parking - a garage will be amazing!!

Luckily, he loved RnR, although from our picture, it's kind of hard to tell. LOL.

Mike & Sully were a great M&G. They were so animated, especially for being in such awkward attire.

If I had realized how bad DTD was, I think we probably would have skipped it too. Or at the least, picked a different evening instead of going on the weekend.

 

[IowaTater]

Today was to be our low-key day. We had no parks planned so we were going to see what International Drive had to offer. Unfortunately that means that I also don't have a lot of pictures from this day but I will share what ones I did take.

Since today was for relaxation, we opted for a later breakfast. We woke up without the usual wake-up call, took care of our morning duties, and headed to the MK bus stop.

But wait, I said no park time today, didn't I? Well, we weren't necessarily hitting up MK. We were going there to catch the monorail to the Polynesian. Because we were having breakfast at Kona!

We got there a bit early but they motioned us to step up to the check-in podium anyway. Good thing we did because they could find our reservation! Thankfully, the hostess said that they weren't going to be busy this morning so they would be able to seat us as soon as they opened. I chose to sit in the waiting area between Kona and Ohana while DH went off to find the pressed coin machines.

As I was waiting, a family with 2 small children sat near me. The little girl was fascinated with the couple of pins I had on my lanyard, particularly the grape soda one. The mother and I struck up a conversation and she asked if I was from Iowa (I had my Iowa Hawkeye lanyard on). I explained to her that I grew up there but had moved to St. Louis about 10 years ago.

Her: "Oh, we lived in Illinois but we used to go to Iowa all the time because our town was so small, we didn't have that much to do there. We always drove into Burlington."

Me: "Shut up! That's where I'm from!!"

We then started talking about things around Burlington and she asked if I went to the University of Iowa. I told her no, that I went to the local community college and then went to school in Illinois.

Her: "Yeah, I went to the University of Maryland but my husband went to Western Illinois University."

Me: "No way. So did I! When did he graduate?"

Her: "In 2000. What was your major?"

Me: "I majored in Marketing & Finance, but I graduated in 1999."

Her: *laughing* "He majored in Marketing. You guys probably had classes together."

We chatted a bit more until it was time for them to check in for their reservation at Ohana. It was so funny to not only meet people that are from our neck of the woods but that are familiar with my hometown and that I probably went to college with!

Shortly after that, DH returned from his scavenger hunt and our pager went off. We were only one of about 5 families dining in Kona that morning so it was nice & quiet. DH got his morning beverage of a Coke while I decided to try a cup of regular coffee and their signature beverage.



OMGoodness was it delicious! I could have drank pitcher after pitcher of that stuff. I think I had 3 or 4 the way it was. It was sweet and tangy without being completely overpowering. Sometimes juices are so acidic that I end up getting heartburn but I didn't have trouble with this at all.

For our breakfast entree, I originally contemplated getting the Big Kahuna but I just didn't think I had room in my belly for all of that and I'm not a fan of macadamia nuts so I skipped the pancakes. Tonga Toast seemed like a huge meal as well so DH and I both got the ham & cheese omelets with breakfast potatoes and biscuit. We each got a side of bacon as well.



It was so good but so huge! We both only finished about half of the omelet and DH still had potatoes on his plate (no potatoes are safe around me!). Our waiter was so nice and he offered to box up what was left but unfortunately our resort still didn't have mini fridges reinstalled so we had to pass.

As we were paying for our check and getting ready to leave, he rushed over to our table and apologized for not bringing these goodies out to our table sooner. He told us to take them with us so we would have sweet dreams later.



We headed back to our resort because our friends from Melbourne, FL were driving up to spend a few hours with us. We hadn't seen our friend and her daughter since they moved 8 years ago (a long story that involves a not-so-nice ex-husband) so we were really excited to see them.

They picked us up at our resort and after lots of hugs, we headed to the local Perkins restaurant. Since DH and I had just eaten, we just split one of their Mammoth Muffins. We talked and laughed and reminisced and had a good time. After our friends finished their breakfast, I made a quick run to the Walgreens that was right next door to pick up some supplies and then we headed to the outlet mall.

It took us awhile to find Orlando Premium Outlets but it took even longer to find a parking spot! LOL Good gravy! I think everyone must have decided to go shopping that day as well. We finally found a place to park and set out to find some treasures. Unfortunately, my definition of "outlet" and their definition are two totally different things. I'm used to outlet malls being discount prices but most of the stores were just regularly priced items.

We walked the whole entire mall but only came away with a couple of clearance shirts for myself from Lane Bryant, a few t-shirts for DH from Gold Toe, and a few kitchen items from Le Gourmet Chef. My biggest steal was at the Disney Store Outlet where I was able to score a 2013 scrapbook with a 2013 scrapbooking kit for 50% off of what they were charging in the parks & resorts. We decided we had done about as much shopping as we wanted so we made the trek back to the car.

One of the other things that DH wanted to do was go to the Titanic exhibit. DH is a big Titanic buff and has been since way before Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet set sail on the fateful voyage. We have gone to the travelling exhibit when it was in St. Louis (twice). We've been to the permanent exhibit in Branson, MO and when we were in Las Vegas for our honeymoon, we went to the exhibit at the Luxor. Lucky for him, I enjoy the exhibits as much as he does.

We searched for the building and darn near passed it up. It was just a small building with no big signs advertising it or anything.



Our friends decided to wait in the lobby for us so DH and I went up to get our tickets. We were informed by a rather curt gentleman that a tour had already started but we could either catch up to them or just tour by ourselves. Since we like to move at our own pace, we chose the latter option. I was really surprised by how tiny this exhibit was. The items they had were items we hadn't seen before so that was nice but there just wasn't that many of them.

For those of you who have never been to one of the Titanic exhibits, before you enter, you are given a "boarding pass" of an individual that was actually on the Titanic. It gives you a brief history about them and at the end of the exhibit, all the names of the passengers are written on the walls and you can see if your passenger survived or perished. I guess we have maybe gone too many times but both DH and I received boarding passes that we've gotten before.

Overall, it wasn't a horrible exhibit but I think DH and I have just been spoiled by the bigger ones we've seen previously. I think if you've never been to one before, it would be worth it but for us, it was a bit of a let down.

We all decided to go back to our resort for awhile, just to hang out in the room. Imagine our surprise and delight when we opened our room door to find this waiting for us...



It was the first (and only) towel animal we received during our 8 day stay.

Our friends only stayed for about another hour or so before they decided they needed to head back to their house. We said our goodbyes and gave hugs and said we hoped to see them again soon. DH and I collapsed on the bed and realized it was only 3:00 pm!!

Since it was still so early and we were quickly running out of fresh underclothes, I opted to head down to the pool area to do a couple loads of laundry. DH, on the other hand, opted to take a nap. I grabbed the laundry bag and supplies, along with a backpack containing snacks, a beverage, and DH's Nook, and headed to the laundry facilities. Luckily, our building wasn't too far away so it wasn't too bad hauling everything down there.

Even though I was doing laundry, it was actually really relaxing. A storm was getting ready to roll in so there was a nice breeze blowing and I was really enjoying reading my book & watching all of the little lizards running around. After the clothes were nice & clean, I headed back up to the room so we could decide what to do for supper. We finally chose just to go up to our food court for dinner.

I didn't get pictures of it but DH got chicken nuggets, fries, and cheesecake. I got the London broil dinner with mac & cheese, steamed veggies, and carrot cake. I didn't have real high hopes for the London broil because, come on, we were at an amusement park after all, but it was excellent. I ate every last bit of my entree but unfortunately the carrot cake was way too sweet for me and I only ate about half of it. DH, on the other hand, devoured his cheesecake and fries but only about half the nuggets. He said they weren't that great.

We refilled our mugs and decided that it was time for jammies. We knew we had a super long day the next day so we threw on our PJs and settled in for an evening of TV watching & book reading.

 

[IowaTater]

When I left off, we had just spent a relaxing day with a couple of our friends and went to bed early, in preparation of fun the next day was to provided.

Once again, we woke up to Mike Wazowski calling us and I hurried out of bed. Truth be told, I didn't sleep much the night before because this was the day I had been looking forward to. I finally woke DH up and he pulled himself out of bed while I watched TV. We stopped at the food court to fill our mugs and headed to the MK bus stop. The bus came fairly quickly and we could already tell it was going to be another hot & humid day.

The bus arrived at MK and we headed straight to the Monorail station so we could go to the Grand Floridian. Because we were having a Supercalifragilistic breakfast!!!

We arrived at the check in podium and were one of the first few families in attendance for breakfast. We took our complimentary picture in front of the mural at 1900 Park Fare and were quickly escorted to our table.



We were seated in the larger dining room, close to the buffet. I loved all the decorations in the restaurant.



None of the guests of honor were out yet so DH and I decided to go ahead and get some food. There was so much to choose from! And it all looked really fresh and well stocked as well.

DH's plate: Bacon, sausage, scrambled eggs, biscuits & gravy


He enjoyed everything but said the biscuits & gravy were just "Eh".

My (first) plate: Bagel with 3 types of cream cheese (I wanted to try them all), fresh fruit, scrambled eggs, sausage, bacon, crepe


I thought everything was really good but I didn't care for the crepe. I had never had one before so I wanted to try it but it was a little too rich for an early morning meal. The fruit was very fresh and perfectly ripe for me.

We were about halfway through our meals when Winnie the Pooh and Tigger arrived. I love Winnie the Pooh, so much so that he was the first tattoo I got.



So I knew I had to show it to him.





He was so excited, he started clapping and blowing me kisses. I love you too, silly ole bear!

Next was that crazy Tigger. He was very animated and friendly.



And of course, we can't forget the nanny who is practically perfect in every way (and who is one of my favorites. I used to dance to the soundtrack on our record player when I was little).




Then along bopped Alice. Boy, was she a talkative one! She was very interested in our anniversary buttons and asked if we would be having tea later. I don't think we got a word in edgewise!



And to round off all the madness, we mustn't leave leave out the Mad Hatter, especially since that day just happened to be Mad Hatter Day. I love that he had the speech impediment and everything. (Forgive the blurriness. DH was laughing as he was taking it).



The characters finished making their rounds and headed off to take a break. DH decided he was full but I knew there was two more things I HAD to try.



French toast with bananas foster syrup, lobster eggs benedict, a Mickey waffle, and hashbrown casserole. Okay, so I guess that's technically 3 things I've never had before. Can you believe I've never had a Mickey waffle until that morning??? And let me tell you, it was delicious, along with everything else on that plate. I kind of wish I had started off while those choices instead of ending with them.

While I was enjoying my lobster eggs benedict, our waitress came over and informed us that another table had bought our breakfast for us! They were apparently celebrating their anniversary as well and had way too many credits to use. So they asked our waitress about paying for someone's meal and she told them that we were celebrating our anniversary too. She pointed out which table it was and I quickly went over to thank them profusely. It was so nice of them and added a bit of pixie dust to our trip.

I went back to our table to finish my meal because I knew DH wanted to hit up MK that morning. As we were finishing up, our waitress brought us 2 of their laminated celebration placemats! I unfortunately don't have a picture of them but they are fairly good sized placemats that have a bunch of the character's signatures on them, like Cinderella, Fairy Godmother, Prince Charming, etc.

I finished what I could on my plate and headed back up to the Monorail station. On the way, we stopped at the PhotoPass booth, as we were missing some of our pictures from Hollywood Studios. Luckily, the gentleman was able to find them and we headed on our way.


Continued in next post...

 

[IowaTater]

We arrived back at MK and since the park was already open for the day, we headed through the turnstiles to Main Street USA. I wanted to get some pictures of all the decorations and that's when DH noticed that Pluto was out. The line wasn't that long so we decided to meet him. While we waited, I took the time to take some photos.







Finally, it was our turn to see Pluto. DH gave him a scratch behind the ears, which made him tap his foot.



He's such a good boy!


He gave me a big lick goodbye so I felt it was only appropriate to return the kiss.



Since we had missed out on Tomorrowland the last 2 days we had been at MK, we headed that way first. Our first ride was going to be both one that both DH and I love. Space Mountain!!! The wait was only about 10 minutes and we were sent to the front section. I love this ride! Flying at top speed through the darkness, weightless over the hills. I could ride it for hours.



Since we were already in Tomorrowland, we headed over to Buzz Lightyear but the wait was already at 30 minutes so we decided to wait on that ride until later. Instead, we opted for a ride that several people had warned me NOT to go on but I just couldn't resist my favorite alien.



You can see how thrilled DH is. It's a good thing he loves me so much.



I'm actually glad we went on this ride. I had never experienced it when it was Alien so I have nothing to compare it too but I thought it was cute. It really does feel like Stitch is running amok in the room. Surprisingly, the chili dog burp didn't even phase me that badly. It didn't smell any worse than some of the scratch-n-sniff stickers I had as a kid. I don't think I would do it every time we went but I'm glad I got to experience at least once.

We had missed out on Frontierland the first 2 days as well so we headed there next, but not before I got a couple of general pictures.






First up was Splash Mountain.



The wait was a little bit longer than I would have liked at 25 minutes but I knew we probably wouldn't have a chance to go on it again so I sucked it up. Of course, waiting in line is the perfect opportunity to take more pictures!





As much as I enjoy the music and animatronics, let's be honest. I'm really only there for the big splash, especially with as hot & sweaty as I was. And Splash Mountain did not disappoint!



DH and I got fairly wet but not completely soaked, which was good enough for us. As we headed through the exit line, we noticed that Woody and Jessie were out. We stopped to see them, as we missed Woody at Hollywood Studios, but unfortunately, they were getting ready to leave for the afternoon parade so the line was closed.

We noticed that it was getting close to 1 pm so we headed back up to the front of the park. I wanted to get back to the resort early so we would have plenty of time to clean up before the evenings festivities. Because the Street Party was getting ready to start, we took the path that went past the Crystal Palace. Even though we were feeling pretty disgusting, we stopped for the PP photographer any way. And I'm glad we did because these ended up being my favorite pictures of us.




We managed to weave our way through the crowd just as the Street Party began but unfortunately we had to miss it again or else we would be late getting back to our room. And I didn't want to be late for the rest of the evening. We had a lot of things planned!

 

[PrincessInOz]

Cool updates!

How fantastic that someone else paid for your breakfast! That's wonderful pixie dust!

 

[IowaTater]

Cool updates!

How fantastic that someone else paid for your breakfast! That's wonderful pixie dust!

It actually made me tear up a bit. Now, we just had to figure out what to do with our extra credits!

 

[IowaTater]

Ugh! I am a bad DIS'er!!! I know it's been a long time since my last update and hopefully I haven't lost a lot of followers but life got away from me again. Right after Thanksgiving, DH and I adopted a cat (my first one ever) and we've had a bit of a difficult adjustment period. He has a lot of behavioral issues and an immunodeficiency disorder so it's been a rough haul for all of us. On top of that, we've had 6 Christmases to prepare for, as well as 2 shipments of presents to long distance family. But now that all of that is done with AND I finally quit my second job, I'll have more time for all you loverly people!!!

So, without further ado, a new update!

When I left off, DH and I were on our way back to our resort. Apparently, I didn't time everything correctly because we ended up being really rushed. We raced back to our room, took quick showers, and changed our clothes. I think we refilled our mugs again as we hustled back to the bus stop but I don't really remember. All I remember is thinking we were going to be late for our dinner ADR and I HATE BEING LATE!!!!!

We caught the bus back to MK fairly quickly but it was packed so DH and I opted to stand, which actually worked out well because we stood right by the door. As soon as we pulled up and the driver opened the doors, we made a beeline to the gates. I looked like one of those mall speed-walkers (please tell me you all know what I'm talking about). We started to head to the right-hand side gates but saw how crowded it was and opted to head left instead. We were now about 8 minutes from our ADR.

We whipped out our park tickets and was getting ready to scan our fingerprints when the CM yells "You can't come in yet if you're here for the party!". I quickly explained to her that we were there for MNSSHP but we also had 4:00 pm ADRs that we were on the verge of being late to. She let us on through and just let us know that we would have to get our party bands later.

Still hustling like mall-walkers, we headed toward Adventureland and I had DH go on ahead of me to check-in. DH and I are about the same height but he walks MUCH faster than I do. We got checked in right at 4:00 pm and were about the 3rd table to be sat! I was so excited because this one was one of the ADRs I was really looking forward to (Oh, who am I kidding? I love food. I was looking forward to all of our ADRs).

The host escorted us to our table, which they had decorated with colored streamers (and since I am such a bad DISer, I didn't get a picture of it ). DH ordered a soda while I decided I just wanted a water. Oh, and where were we dining on this fine evening?



Our waiter was very nice and prompt, even taking the time to wish us happy anniversary (I really wish I had taken down his name). After bringing our drinks, he brought the salad and dinner rolls.



I wasn't sure if I was going to like the salad because I don't typically go for fruit dressings, but this salad was amazing. It had just the right amount of dressing on it for me and it was overly strawberry flavored. DH loved the rolls and butter. They were very soft and tasted like they were fresh out of the oven.

I had 2 servings of salad before I finally had to cut myself off while DH polished off about 4 rolls Our waiter then brought out the main meal. Once again, I wondered if we would have room on our table for it all!



Roasted Turkey Breast, Carved Beef and Pork Brisket with Mashed Potatoes, seasonal vegetables, herb bread stuffing and Mac and cheese. Oh Mylanta! Everything was so good. The stuffing wasn't too dry and was perfectly seasoned. The vegetables were steamed to perfection with just a little crispiness to them and not overly seasoned. The mashed potatoes were very smooth and creamy. DH loved the mac and cheese and ate almost the whole bowl himself! He said it was really creamy and cheesy, just like homemade. As for the meats, I favored the pork brisket. It was very moist, while I thought the beef was a little dry. The turkey was very good as well and that's coming from someone who doesn't even eat turkey on Thanksgiving!

We ate and ate until we couldn't eat anymore. I felt so guilty leaving food on the table because it was so delicious. Our waiter came around and asked if we were ready for dessert and believe it or not, we actually turned down dessert for the first time on our trip! Shocking, I know! But we seriously couldn't eat another bite of anything. Plus the fact that it was the Johnny Appleseed cake and I don't care for cranberries made the decision a bit easier.

We let our bellies digest a bit and then decided it was time to go get our party on!

Continued next post...

 

[IowaTater]

As we left LTT, we realized it was only 5:00 pm so we had plenty of time to get our bracelets. Since I've never met a Christmas store I didn't like, we went next door to check out the wares at Ye Olde Christmas Shoppe. As we perused all the decorations and ornaments, I wished we had an unlimited budget because there were several I fell in love with. But I knew we were going to the Christmas store at DTD on our last day and I didn't want to risk anything getting broken that night so we decided to move on. As we headed out the back entrance of the store to get our special MNSSHP SOTMK card, we came upon a lovely little garden.



Unfortunately, Tiana and Naveen were just heading back for a quick break but the CM assured us they would only be gone about 10 minutes. DH and I got in line and were near the front. DH got our SOTMK cards quickly while I held our places. Tiana and Naveen returned after about 15 minutes (but who's counting??) and we followed them to the meeting spot.

This was a great character interaction! The MISICI parade had just started again (and of course I was missing it yet again) and Naveen was dancing to the music. Tiana engaged DH while Naveen grabbed me and spun me around in circles. The only downside was that there wasn't a PP but the CM was nice enough to take some pictures with my camera.




After saying our "See y'all lata"s, we continued our trek to the front of the park. We got in line to get our pictures taken for the Facebook group I was a part of and debated what our game plan was going to be for the evening. DH really wanted to do trick-or-treating followed by rides and I definitely wanted to watch the parade but I wanted to wait until the 2nd parade. Because I'm not a fan of fireworks, we knew we didn't have to try to stake out a place to watch those.

We got our obligatory picture taken...


...and then tracked down a CM to find out where we could get our wristbands. He informed us that we needed to go to the Rose Garden and they would take care of us. I then realized that all the water I had drank at supper was starting to kick in so I made a quick stop, while DH waited for me (who, by the way, was starting to get really grumpy). As I came out, I got a wonderful surprise. The MI, SI, CI parade ended right next to where I was! I still missed a lot of it but I got some great pictures of some characters I hadn't seen yet.






I tracked down Mr. Grumpy Pants and heading off to the Rose Garden. We got our wristbands, maps, and trick-or-treat bags (although we had brought our own). It still wasn't 7:00 yet so DH studied the map while I watched them set up for the Villians show. DH discovered that they had special MNSSHP pins (one of his obsessions on this trip) so we headed over to Frontierland so he could purchase one.

Since it wasn't quite party time yet, they weren't selling them but they told him he could wait in line to purchase one. Soon, the clock struck 7:00 pm and our ghost host informed us it was now party time! DH headed into the store to get his pins when I noticed this creepy quartet.



Ah, yes. The Cadaver Dans. And they broke out into my favorite Halloween song, "Grim Grinning Ghosts". They were wonderful! I would have loved to stay and listen to more but apparently I was as invisible as the local haunts because people kept either standing in front of me or walking in front of me as I tried to take a picture.

DH got himself his MNSSHP pin and got the Stitch MNSSHP pin for me (oh, how that man knows me) and off to find some treats we went. Since we were right in Frontierland and we hadn't had a chance to ride it yet, we headed to BTMRR.

It was about a 5 minute wait and absolutely worth it. I forgot how much fun it was! As we got off and headed to Splash Mountain, we were stopped by a CM who asked if we had party tickets. We happily showed her our wristbands and skipped off to our first treat trail.



We ended up hitting both forks of the trail by Splash Mountain, getting handfuls of candy along the way. We were literally like kids in a candy store! I couldn't believe the amount they were giving away. What surprised me was how rude some of the visitors were. We encountered several who tried to push their way past us at the candy barrels and ones who wouldn't get out of the CM's way as they refilled the barrels. I made sure to thank the CMs and I guess not everyone was brought up that way.

As we left the Splash Mountain area, we made our way over to the treat spot at the Riverboat. DH stopped and got a souvenir container of popcorn while I opted for a cold water. The first parade was getting ready to start so we tried to stick close to the waterfront to avoid the crowds. We got more handfuls of candy and headed to stop #3 next to Peter Pan. I went through once, while DH went through twice.

Onto treat stop #4, Pinnochio Village Haus. Werthers Caramel Apple candies. Yummm!!! By this time, I was having a hard time keeping up with DH and he was going full steam ahead. Keep in mind, we have only ridden one ride since we got there and met NO characters. As we passed Gaston's Tavern on our way to Storybook Circus, I noticed that Gaston was out and I shouted to DH to wait so I could meet him. Unfortunately, Gaston's line was closed so I didn't get to swoon over him.

On to treat stop #5, Storybook Circus. We got our handfuls of candy and rushed out of Storybook Circus towards the Tomorrowland. And this is when things became very un-Disney-like.

Continued on next post....

 

[IowaTater]

As we passed the Tea Cups, I tried to ask DH a question. Unfortunately, I didn't hear his response (because he was about a foot in front of me and I am hard of hearing in my right ear) so I asked him to repeat himself. Well, in all fairness, I believe the more exact words were "Did you hear what I said?". At this point, DH got snippy with me (I don't even remember what was said) and I proceeded to tell him that I did not appreciate his response. Okay, okay. I might have called him Grumpy MacGrumperton and told him to snap out of his crankiness.

DH: "You know I hate crowds! I'm tired of people running into me and it's making me cranky!"

Me: "Well, if you don't like crowds, we picked the wrong @&*king place to take a vacation! This was supposed to be fun and I'm not having fun anymore! In fact, I'm ready to go back home!" *tears begin*

Definitely not my finest moment but DH stopped me, pulled me aside, and apologized. I apologized as well and we agreed to move at a slower pace and try to enjoy what was left of the evening. So as we dealt with our emotional breakdown and our breakdown in communication, we discussed what we wanted to do next. Since I wanted to do the Haunted Mansion badly, we backtracked it over to see the 999 happy haunts.

The wait was about 20 minutes and we were greeted by lovely Carlotta (I believe).



We made our way through the graveyard.



And then quickly ushered into our Doom Buggy. This ride is a classic. I'm of the mind that you cannot come to MK without riding HM. I love the music and the special effects. I could tell DH was finally coming out his bad mood and then came breakdown #3. As we rounded the corner to enter the graveyard, we stopped DEAD in our tracks (see what I did there?). I whispered to DH "I don't remember stopping here". After about a minute or so, our ghost host informed us to remain seated as the ride as the ride would continue shortly. I'm not sure if we stopped for a wheelchair rider or mechanical difficulties but it's still fun to tell people we got stuck on The Haunted Mansion!

We came to the end of our ride and gained a new friend to bring home with us. I convinced DH to stop for the PP photo op but when we saw how long the line was, I thought for sure he was going to change his mind. Luckily he didn't and the line moved fairly quickly. Apparently, the ghosts really like us.



Not the best picture of us but it's still neat. DH wanted to get more candy so we headed back to Tomorrowland and continued on to treat stop #5, Tomorrowland Speedway. More candy was deposited into our bags and I am so glad we brought our own bags. There would have been no way all of goodies would have fit in the bags they gave us.

On to treat stop #6, the trail behind Tomorrowland Speedway leading from Tomorrowland to Storybook Circus. At this point, HalloWishes started and they were right over our heads! Let me tell you, friends. For someone who does not like loud noises, this almost sent me in a tailspin! DH sensed my anxiety and held my hand as we made our way out of Storybook Circus and back up to Tomorrowland to treat stop #7.

We paused for a moment, deciding whether or not to go to the Monsters Inc. dance party because I really wanted to see Boo. We decided to check it out but unfortunately Boo was not out so we quickly left. We stopped at Buzz Lightyear but the wait was at 45 minutes so we decided to keep moving on. Treat stop #7: Stitch's Great Escape. I believe this is where we got the Monsters University fruit snacks, which I was completely excited about!!!

Continued on next post....

 

[IowaTater]

HalloWishes ended and people began to file out of the park. DH and I knew we needed to find a spot for the last parade so we made our way down Main Street and were lucky enough to find a spot right in front of the Starbucks.

We collapsed on the sidewalk and waited. DH decided he was hungry so he headed into Starbucks for a cookie and a soda. While he was getting his snacks, I took some pictures up and down Main Street, trying out the different settings on my camera. Not long after, DH came back with a bottle of Sprite and 2 chocolate chip cookies (Have I mentioned how well DH knows me?).

Soon we recognized a familiar face along with a group of very peppy Crew members. The pre-show was really cute and they definitely got the crowd (kids especially) pumped up. And I'm not afraid to admit that I danced and sang along to "Calling All The Monsters".



The CMs began making sure everyone's feet and children were out of the street (I can't believe how many people had to be told multiples times to do this. HELLO PEOPLE!!! HE'S A HEADLESS HORSEMAN!! HE CAN'T SEE!!!!! Unfortunately, despite the fact that he was trotting more than riding, I still didn't get a good picture of him. I messed with camera some more and then the music began. It was time for...



I LOVED THIS PARADE!!! All the characters in costume, the pirate flag corp, the ghostly dancers, the gravediggers, the themed floats! I could go on and on and on but instead, I'll share a few of my favorite pictures.










I wish I had gotten more pictures but I didn't realize that my memory card was so full so I had to keep stopping to delete pictures to make room for new ones.

After the parade was over, we decided to go back to the resort because we were exhausted and we had guests coming to stay with us that evening. On the way to the bus stop, I saw a group of people flocking around a couple of CMs. As I got closer, I saw them. HALLOWEEN PEEPS!!! Now, I hate the little boogers but my mother-in-law loves them so she got them all when we got back home

The bus for our resort came pretty quickly but of course, it was super crowded but we managed to squeeze on. We stopped to refill our mugs again before heading to our room (we completely got our money's worth this trip). I seriously debated a dip in the pool because it was so hot but ultimately decided a cold shower sounded like a better idea. DH crashed on the bed to watch some TV and helped me pick up the room a bit for our arriving guests.

Coming up next time..."Try not to get kicked out this time, okay?"

 

[IowaTater]

Our guests finally arrived around 12:30 am after a drive from where they live in Bradenton. Cody & Greg are from my hometown and moved to Bradenton in May so they wanted to come spend a couple of days in Orlando with us. Cody and I have known each other for about 13 years, since our days in community theater. Cody is completely outgoing and crazy, while Greg is more shy & subdued and we have an absolute blast together, no matter what we are doing.

Even though DH and I could barely keep our eyes open, we stayed up and chatted until about 1:30 am before deciding that if we had any shot of having a productive day, we probably needed to get to sleep.

I knew Cody & Greg are NOT early risers so despite the fact that Mike Wazowski woke me up at 7 am, I let all the boys sleep in until about 8 am. We all showered, Greg loaded up his computer bag while I resupplied our backpack, and off we went to the bus stop. It was already very muggy out and we could see the storm clouds off in the horizon.

Just as soon as we pulled up to the bus stop at Epcot, it started pouring. We managed to find a bit of shelter and I pulled out the rain ponchos we had brought with us. Greg used one to cover all of his photography equipment and since Cody & I didn't think we would melt, DH got to wear the other one and carry all of our stuff. We ran from shelter to shelter until we reached the bag check & ticket booth. Cody & Greg still had to get their tickets so they could use the Florida resident discount and they also bought a F&W bracelet. Luckily, the rain was letting up and we heading into the park.

We bypassed the PP (and this happened to be the only day DH forgot our PP card) and headed for some rides. DH and Cody decided that they wanted to try Mission Space. I've heard all the bad things about people getting really sick on it so I chose to stay behind with Greg and get some pictures. Greg is trying to start his own photography business so he was kind enough to give me some pointers and advice.





Greg and I sat on a bench talking cameras for a bit when DH and Cody finally got off the ride. They both said that they had done the "light" side and it wasn't that bad but I still wasn't taking any chances. We walked past Test Track but the line was a bit too long so we decided to just head over to Spaceship Earth, since I didn't remember riding on it before. I really enjoyed it. I wish I had gotten pictures of what we looked like in the future because it was hilarious!

It was now time to get our grub on!! Cody and I are foodies, which is part of the reason I was happy they agreed to meet us for the festival. DH and Greg have more traditional palettes so I knew they would just be along for the ride mainly.

First, a group photo.



We listened to the gentleman at the cranberry bog for a bit and then kept on to the food booths. The first stop was Scotland, at least for me. I had to try the Banoffee Tart



I loved this. In fact, I have been trying to find a good recipe for it so I can recreate it at home. The banana and whiskey flavors were very subtle and the crust was firm. Cody took a bite and liked it as well.

Up next was Hawaii. Cody and I both got the Kahlua Pork Sliders.



We both enjoyed this as well. Greg even tried a bit of it and liked it. The only thing I wish was that the mayo was a little spicier. I didn't think it had much heat to it at all.

Next up was Desserts & Champagne. Cody got the Nicolas Feuillate Rose while DH and I split the Dessert Trio.



I was not impressed with this at all. The cupcake was too "orangey" for me and the mousse was more pistachio than cherry. However, we both loved the chocolate hazelnut cheesecake and wished we had just gotten two of those instead. I don't like champagne but Cody said his beverage was very good.

Next, our tastebuds led us to Greece. I love Greek food so I couldn't wait to hit this one up. Cody got the Taste of Greece and I got the Griddled Greek Cheese.

Taste of Greece: Grilled & Marinated Calamari, Hitipiti, Eggplant Dip, Olives and Pita Bread


This was all very good, even the calamari. I was a little leery trying it because, well, it's octopus but it seriously tasted like a grilled chicken breast. The hitipiti was very good with the pita bread and the eggplant dip was tasty, although the texture was a little weird.

Griddled Greek Cheese:


Yummmoooo!!!! I especially love the theatrics when you order it. When we order it at our favorite Greek restaurant, there's a big flame and an "Opa!". Of course, setting things on fire is kind of frowned upon at WDW but we still got the "Opa!". It was very sweet and gooey and creamy with a nice toasted top. This ended up being one of our favorite booths.

We next stopped in Canada. Cody got the Canadian Cheddar Cheese Soup and I got the Le Cellier Fillet.




My biggest complaint about these two dishes...I NEEDED MORE!! They were absolutely delicious. The soup was so rich and creamy and the steak was really tender, along with the mushrooms. There's no way we will ever eat at Le Cellier but I know dream about that fillet.

I quickly realized that we had been too gung ho in our eating because had now come upon the Ireland booth, which I really wanted to try but there was no more room in my belly! I was so disappointed and of course, we never made it back that way again.

DH wanted to do a little bit of shopping in Great Britain to see if they had any Doctor Who items so while he wandered the stores, I took some pictures.





DH didn't really find anything that we couldn't find some place else cheaper but he did find these in the tea shop so we had to buy them (they are still sitting unopened in our pantry). 10 points for anyone who gets the Doctor Who reference.


Cody debated getting a couple of posters (he has been a huge Austin Powers fan since I've known him and loves all things English) but decided against it since he didn't want to carry them all day. He began trying on hats and doing goofy impressions, which prompted Greg to say "Try not to get kicked out this time, okay?" This became the theme of the day whenever Cody would do something weird.

*A little bit of back story* When Cody was a senior in high school, his class went to WDW for their senior class trip. While in Epcot, Cody decided to steal a pair of Mickey gloves. He fully admits it was a stupid decision and he sincerely regrets it now but he was caught and escorted out of Epcot and then had to spend the rest of the trip under the thumbs of the chaperones. We joked with him that they probably had his picture plastered all over Epcot like a wanted poster.

As we exited Great Britain, we could see the storm clouds we almost right on top of us but we had the ponchos if we needed them so we headed on to France.



We didn't visit the food booth but we did watch some of the street performers from a distance.



And then it began to sprinkle. We walked past Morocco...



...but not before DH visited the Belgium booth for a Belgium waffle. Cody and Greg got the fruit one, while DH got the chocolate one.



They all really enjoyed their waffles but I didn't have any of either. I believe I might have been pouting about the weather. The raindrops let up a bit but more clouds were rolling in so we headed to Japan to do some shopping in the gift shop. I wanted to find some Pocky for our friend Milo, some Japanese wares for our friend Veronica and DH wanted to see if they had any Transformer items while I wanted to do the pearl ceremony.

Continued next post...

 

[IowaTater]

The gift shop is HUGE!!! Unfortunately it was really crowded or else I would have spent some more time in there. I found some Pocky and wasabi candy for Milo and a teapot for Veronica. DH found some items he wanted but decided not to get them. We headed back up front to the pearl area. I paid for my oyster and got a number for my turn. I only had 2 people in front of me so DH went to find Cody & Greg so they could watch. When they returned, we watched one ceremony and then I approached the tank so I could study the oysters. I had read on the DIS that it's best to pick the ugliest & hairiest oyster but they all looked pretty gross to me.

I decided on my oyster and when it was my turn, I approached the gentleman and he retrieved it. He taught me how to bow and count to 3 in Japanese and then he opened my oyster. Imagine my surprise when we discovered TWINS!!!



Both 6 1/2 mm in diameter and the same cream color. I decided not to buy a necklace there because I wasn't sure what I wanted to do with 2 pearls! I have since made them into identical necklaces and given one to my friend Veronica and kept the other for myself.



One more goofy picture of Cody.



We left the gift shop with our purchases and Cody went off to get the Teriyaki Chicken Hand Roll. I didn't get a picture of it or try any of it but Cody and Greg both said it was just okay. The Japanese drummers were just beginning their show so we stopped to enjoy the entertainment.



Japan is such a beautiful area, I took the opportunity to snap some more shots of the area.




Ah yes. There are those pesky black rain clouds again and they were blowing in quickly. There wasn't a long wait for the PP so we decided to get some photos before the storm hit.





Just as we were getting ready to take the magic shot with Tinkerbell in our hands, the skies opened up and it downpoured. We ran to the American Pavillion to seek some shelter. After standing under the covered patio at Heritage Manor gifts, we decided to walk through the gift shop. Worst. Mistake. Ever. I didn't realize how small it was and everyone was using it as shelter so you couldn't hardly move in there. After about 5-10 minutes, the rain started to let up a little bit so I decided to risk it and head over to the Hops & Barley booth to get some clam chowder and a lobster roll. I stood in line, getting more and more drenched, only to find out they were only accepting cash at that time. Of course, I didn't have cash (that's the whole reason I brought gift cards) so no lovely seafood dishes for Taters. And once again, we didn't get back that way this trip.

Sugar Ray was getting ready to perform at the Eat to the Beat stage so we staked out a spot behind the seats and caught a few songs before deciding to continue our food journey. DH and I stopped to take a few more PP on the bridge...



...and then we made a stop at the ancestral home of Pasta's family, Italy. I got the ravioli while Cody got the salsiccia.



I personally didn't care for the salsiccia. I thought it could have used more seasoning, but then again, I'm used to the salsiccia they sell in our local Italian neighborhood. The ravioli was delicious though. So cheesy and meaty.

We then stopped at Poland for a refreshing beverage, the Frozen Apple Pie.



Holy mackerel, this stuff could get you in trouble. It was so refreshing on this muggy day. It tasted exactly like an apple pie with no harsh alcohol taste. This is definitely another one I need to find a recipe for.

I could tell Greg & DH were getting tired & bored so we decided to start wrapping up our day before we had two cranky boys on our hands. We still had a couple of must dos so we headed to Germany...



Cody and Greg the bratwurst with a glass of Oktoberfest while I got the apple strudel.



Cody and Greg really liked their items and the apple strudel was outstanding. The only problem was that part of it was warm and part was cold. I wish it had been a consistent temperature throughout.

We proceeded on to Norway where I wanted to ride Maelstrom. I had ridden this on my last trip and I remember it being kind of fun. The wait was only 15 minutes so off we went.



Unfortunately, my memory must be bad on this one because I remember it being a bit more entertaining than what it was. Oh well, it was a chance for us to get off our feet for a bit. Sadly, this is also when I lost my brand new sunglasses getting off the boat.

We trudged past all the other nations and headed back up to Future World. Cody & Greg said that they wanted to ride Test Track and I really wanted to do Finding Nemo so we split up and agree to meet back at the fountain. It was at this time, I realized I had lost my refill mug. DH and I went back up to Mission Space, thinking I had left it on the bench but no such luck. We headed back the other direction to the Seas and DH and I walked right on to Finding Nemo. I thought it was a cute ride but I love Nemo. It was neat how the incorporated real sealife with the cartoon versions. We exited the ride and I would have loved to look at all the exhibits but DH decided we should go back to the meeting place because he figured Cody & Greg would see how long the line was for Test Track and decide not to ride it. Luckily for them, the single rider line was really short so they were both able to enjoy it.

While we waited for them, DH shopped for more pins but I don't think he bought any. I really wanted to check more things out but almost everything was closed already. I think that's when I started to get tired and cranky so as soon as Cody & Greg met back up with us (they loved Test Track, by the way), we headed up to the front of the park with a quick stop at Mouse Gear. I purchased another pin and a shot glass for our friend Cassie and DH found more pressed pennies. Cody purchased a pair of Mickey Gloves and we headed back to the bus stop. We had another busy day the following day. Of course, Cody being Cody, we had to get one more goofy picture, which he ended up posting on his Facebook page (and a big thanks to the security officer who was such a good sport!).



We got back to the resort and DH stopped to refill his mug before heading up to our room. DH and Greg were starving so we decided to order WDW pizza delivery. We got a pepperoni pizza, 2 sodas, breadsticks, and 2 chocolate cakes.



Coming up next...Welcome to the Dark Side. We have Butterbeer!
​

 

[IowaTater]

After we got back to our resort the night before, we all decided to take a dip in the pool. It was nice and quiet but after about 45 minutes or so, we were overrun with a bunch of non-English speaking teenagers who were being very loud and rowdy. The lifeguard yelled at them several times but I guess they didn't understand what he was saying . So we just went back up to the room and talked until about midnight.

Because of that, we slept in the next morning until about 8. After we all took showers and got ready, we piled into our friend's car and headed to The Dark Side. Cody wanted to stop at McDonald's to get some coffee and luckily there was one on the way.

After not too much time, we arrived at US, parked and headed to the ticket windows because we all had to pick up our tickets. Cody & Greg had purchased theirs online and had no trouble getting the tickets. DH and I, on the other hand, had purchased them through our TA and had a terrible time getting our tickets! The ticket agent couldn't find us in the computer system and kept telling us that we hadn't bought tickets. Thank goodness I always carry too much stuff and I had the confirmation from my TA as well as the instructions she gave me on how to pick up our tickets. After about 10 minutes and a call to her supervisor, we had our tickets in hand and made our way through City Walk.

We had a plan this morning so we veered to the left towards...





We hurried through Seuss's Landing but I managed to snap a few pictures.





We found the Lost Continent and a chance to take a few more quick pictures.





And at last, we reached our first destination of the day (look how excited he is!).



I do believe I went into sensory overload for a bit. There is so much to see and hear and smell. All the little details really made you feel like you had been transported to Hogsmeade. You know, except for the fact that it was about 95 degrees out but there was snow on the rooftops Before we rode anything, we knew we needed to get something to eat. I already knew I wanted to eat at Three Broomsticks because they had stuff DH would eat.

It was fairly empty so we were able to place our order right away. We all placed our order and found a table close to the main door. Cody & Greg ordered the Shepherd's Pie, the chicken dinner, a Coke, and a Butterbeer. DH and I got the chicken & rib to share along with a Butterbeer for DH and a pumpkin juice for me.





The drinks were absolutely delicious! DH loved his butterbeer. I thought it was good but I wasn't a fan of the "foam" on top. My pumpkin juice, though, I still dream about that wonderful little glass of yumminess. I thought it tasted like a really good apple cider with just a hit of pumpkin spice to it. The food was a little disappointing. The potatoes were good and corn was fantastic. The ribs were really dry and the chicken was okay but really greasy.

We actually ran into our friends Mike and Daniella while we were there and chatted with them a bit. They had just gotten engaged two days before while they were at Epcot. I was antsy to get on some rides, though, so after getting a tip from our lovely waitress, we headed out the back door. And she was so right about the beautiful view.



Cody and Greg wanted to ride The Dragon Challenge so they headed off in that direction. Unfortunately, The Dark Side is not as fluffy friendly so I knew there was not going to be many rides I could get on. DH and I took the down time to explore our surroundings. We tried to get into the owlery but it was so crowded, I started feeling really anxious and we left. We were able to catch the end of the Tri Wizard Ceremony.







Cody and Greg came off Dragon Challenge and said it was fun. Since I was still itching to ride something, we chose Flight of the Hippogriff. It's a very quick ride but it was still fun. You get to see Buckbeak and fly past Hagrid's hut.



Next, I knew I wouldn't be able to ride Forbidden Journey and I also knew DH wouldn't enjoy it because of his fear of spider but we definitely wanted to walk through the castle. You still get to see a lot of things but almost wish we had just waited in the regular line and taken the chicken exit because we did miss somethings.

I love how they did the castle, especially the projects of Harry, Professor Dumbledore, Hermoine, and Ron in their respective rooms. I tried to get a picture of it but I couldn't get the settings on my camera right. As you near the end of the tour, you reach all the magic portraits. This feisty lady has always been my favorite.



After our walk-through, DH needed to use the restroom. Did you know Moaning Myrtle inhabits these restrooms? She such a loud mouth, you can hear from the doorway! As I am one to always have room for a sweet treat, we made our way to Honeydukes, the candy store. Just look at all of these wonderful sweets.



DH and I each got a little baggie of bulk candy (gummies & salt water taffy for me and I think he got a hodge podge of items). The cauldrons cakes and pumpkin tarts looked really tempting but I couldn't justify the cost. Maybe next time. Zonko's, the prank shop, is attached to Honeyduke's so we looked around in there as well. Since nothing really grabbed my attention, we decided to head to our next destination.

Continued in next post..."God help us, we're in the hands of engineers"

 

[IowaTater]

We decided to go see some dinosaurs so off we went to...





The wait wasn't too bad for the ride. I believe it was only about 15 minutes. We got front row seats for tour and proceeded through the waterways of Jurassic Park. The ride itself was a little hokey. The animatronics were really jerky but I would imagine most people partake in this ride for the HUMONGOUS drop at the end!!! Great googly moogly! I know my rear end came up off the seat and I screamed like a little girl! I wish I had taken a picture of our ride photo because you could see the fear in all of our eyes. And we got soaked! Luckily it was hot enough that I knew we'd be dry in no time. I loved it!

We decided to make our way over to Marvel Island because Cody and DH are big superhero fans and I really wanted to try Spiderman. Plus I was hoping to catch some more characters but I seemed like they were mainly all gone by 4 pm. As we approached Ripsaw Falls, Cody announced that he really wanted to go on. DH and Greg didn't want to get wet again and since Cody didn't want to go by himself, I agreed to go with him.



Now, I had read everything about this ride and I was fairly certain that I was not going to fit in this ride. But I would do anything for my friends so we proceeded to wait...and wait...and wait....and wait. I don't know the exact amount of time but I know it was over 30 minutes. We finally get up to where we can see the boats and I look over at Cody and say "I'm not going to fit". He tries to reassure me that I will and I start to panic more. It gets to be our turn and they put me in the back of our boat. I hop in and hop right back out. Nope, no Ripsaw Falls for me. I tell Cody to go ahead and I take the walk of shame past everyone else waiting and back to the exit area. Why I didn't listen to my gut feeling, I have no idea. I could have saved myself a lot of embarrassment.

Cody met me back at the exit (completely drenched, by the way) and after a quick restroom stop, we met DH and Greg at the entrance to Marvel Island.







Luckily, there was still one character out so DH hit him right away.



Unfortunately, right after Cyclops was done with DH, all of the superheros got a call for a crime in progress and had to leave. I could tell DH was really disappointed but at least we know we need to get there earlier for our next trip.

The wait for Spiderman was at about 25 minutes so we quickly got in line before the crowd that was watching the little superhero show made a beeline for it.



I had no trouble fitting on this ride at all. It was actually really neat with all of the 3D effects and such. At one point, there is a car or something that blows up and there is real fire that shoots up. I'm pretty sure that's where my tan came from that day. I did have to close my eyes at some parts because I started to feel nauseous (which would carry on throughout the day because I forgot to bring my Bonine with me), but it was still fun. The movie cut out about a minute or two before the ride ended and they offered to let us ride again without waiting but we all declined.

It was now starting to get late in the day so we decided to leave IOA and head over to US. Instead of walking all the way around through City Walk, we took the shortcut past Hard Rock cafe.

 

[IowaTater]

When I left off, we had left IOA and we walking over to US.



I knew there were two main areas we wanted to hit and we were running low on time and energy so we headed directly to our first location. Do not pass Go. Do not collect $200. I gazed longingly at my minions as we flew past and promised them I would see them soon.

So where we heading first? Well, because I love DH so much, we were heading here.





DH has been obsessed with Transformers since he was little so when I told him that they were opening up the Transformers ride at USF, that's all it took to get him to add it onto our WDW trip. It was just the icing on the proverbial cake when he found out they had added a meet & greet.

As we came down the side of the building, we noticed that Megatron was out. We got in line to meet him but DH was so anxious to get on the ride that we only waited there for a couple of minutes before getting out of line. Besides, who wants to meet the bad guy anyway? I was able to snap a picture real quick before we continued on.



We continued around the building and luckily the posted wait time was only 35 minutes. The queue is pretty neat. It has lots of little video clips, a piece of the Allspark, and lots of buttons and levers to play with. It's definitely good at keeping kids occupied because it seemed like the line went on and on and on. I know one "kid" that was getting antsy.



We finally got in our car (and with no trouble for me at all) and off we went to defeat Megatron! This ride is very similar to Spiderman and even the ride vehicle is the same. Once again, I had to close my eyes during parts of it because of the motion sickness but we all enjoyed the ride as a whole. DH was grinning from ear to ear. After our ride was over and we had successful rid Earth of the evil Megatron, DH wanted to stop at the dump shop to pick up a few things. I had promised him the special Universal exclusive Transformer action figure for his birthday present so he picked that up and also got a wristband, some pins, and a new lanyard.

Megatron was still out (or had come back) so we headed off to our second location. Just then, I heard the music for the SuperStar parade. The street was really crowded with people but I was lucky enough to find a spot on the corner that was only about 2 people deep. I just can't get enough of Despicable Me!











The parade ended and we continued on, but not before we all stopped for a cold beverage. Luckily there was a snack stand right there.

Part of the theme for HHN this year was The Walking Dead, which is becoming one of DH's favorite shows. They had tons of props and such out from the show so DH took over the camera while we walked. I know I'm getting tired when I don't even feel like taking pictures.

The Walking Dead RV and campsite


The train from Back To The Future


1.21 JIGAWATTS!!


I developed a little "spring" in my step as we finally reached our next destination. Can you guess what it is??

 

[IowaTater]

Ahh yes. The lovely town of Springfield. Home of the Simpson and all of their crazy cohorts. I was really impressed with theming in this area. It has everything you could want.

A taco stand...


The famous Lard Lad Donuts...


If you're hungry, they have Cleetus' Chicken Shack, The Fryin' Dutchman, Lisa's Teahouse of Terror, and of course, Krusty Burger...


Trusty men in blue...


And, if you're in the mood for a Duff or Flamin' Moe, there's Moe's Tavern.



I wanted to try a Flamin' Moe but my stomach was still doing flip-flops so I decided to pass. Cody ordered a Duff beer and said it was basically just like a Bud and totally not worth the price. Maybe someone should tell that to Barney.



We left Moe's and both DH and Cody wanted to indulge their sweet tooth so they both ended up with Lard Lad Donuts.



This picture does not do it's size justice. This thing was huge! I would say it's about the size of a large dinner plate and tastes like a Krispy Kreme donut. Ah-MAZ-ing. Cody and Greg polished theirs off right then and there but DH and I took ours back to the resort and ate on it for the next two days. We still ended up having to throw away about a third of it.

We all wanted to check out the Simpsons Ride so we headed to that end of Springfield, while I snapped shots along the way.

Unfortunately, this is just a gift shop so no cherry Squishies.






Continued in next post...